Altered
by Rebecca Calzone
Summary: In a reality, where the Greek Gods aren't real, and everbody grew up without otherwordly disturbances interferring with their everyday lives, a girl is lost. She's lost because she knows the other world, the real world, and that everything, from her apparent family to her apparent childhood, is a lie. But can she convince everybody of the truth, or is she really just crazy?


**Disclaimer: I do not own PJO**

She was talking to herself.

At least, that's what seemed to be happening.

The girl in front of her was close to her age; she conducted, and was rather freckled and lanky, like herself. The girl's eyes were not her's though, as they were a familiar shade of the sea instead of her own forest greens. She shoved her thick, frizzy hair behind her ears, noticing that the girl before her had nearly the same hair color and texture as she did. Though, fortunately, silkier and more of a claret shade. The girl's expression was that of determination and pondering, as if something she though strongly about was on her mind. The girl's mouth was running, that's right she was telling her something, wasn't she?

Rachel blinked. She blinked again. The girl remained in her vision, however, and she couldn't exactly say that it wasn't unsettling. Who was this look-alike? She was sure their similarities weren't exactly a coincidence. What, then? She had always been able to see things no one else could, things hardly anyone in their right mind would believe, but she felt this was different. She sensed no lingering Mist, as she usually did, encasing the girl. No fuzz impacting her vision in the slight. No pain between the eyes. The girl she saw wasn't a product of the Mist, nor something of mythological origins being unveiled. She was real. She was true, no trick, no gag. There were two Rachels.

_What?_

How?

_Why?_

What was this girl saying, again? Rachel focused on her, snapping out of her stupor

"…but what they don't get is that instead of throwing away their funds on some dumb crap like having a freaking _IPad_ in every classroom, they should be spending their money on improving the stuff they serve us in the Cafeteria! I mean, I don't even _know_ what the heck they're even giving us most of the time!"

Rachel noticed absentmindedly that she was looking down on the girl. Had she gotten taller?

"….I mean, really! They, like, ban snacks, _which is healthier than the actual food by the way_, but they don't even try to do something to make the lunches better! How hard is it to find edible, healthy food? And they wonder why their students are all fat and dumber than a post!"

Rachel discreetly looked around, taking note of her surroundings. She was seated at a small, round table in a small, square kitchen. Across the kitchen there was a window with pulled back navy blue curtains located above the sink. The window was unhinged, the bustling sound of a busy city street resounding off the tile floors. Was she still in New York?

"…om….ar…even…lis…ning?" A sharp voice caused Rachel to start, whipping her dazed head to look at the source of the voice.

"Huh?"

"I _said_, 'Mom! Are you _listening_'?'" She replied irritably, folding her arms across her chest.

….Mom?

Mom

_Mom? _

_**THE HADES?**_

She was a mom? What? Since when? How? B-but she was still a virgin! She was sixteen for gods sake! She couldn't be a mom! This girl…this girl wasn't her daughter! _'But that would explain-_' no! It didn't explain _anything_, because she definitely _wasn't_ a mom!

"W-what?" Rachel stuttered. The girl flung her head back, rolling her eyes at the ceiling dramatically.

"I don't even see why I try!"

"Sorry, it's just that, I don't, I'm just…. I'm sorry, I- I have to go" Before the girl could react Rachel scraped the chair back, sliding out and hurrying out into the hallway through the open doorway. Nearly knocking over a decorative vase on a pedestal, she rushed into the next room over, finding relief at the sight of a portable phone. Frantically dialing her best friend's number, she pressed the phone to her ear.

One ring

Two rings

Three rings-

"_Hello_?" Thank the gods, Percy!

"Percy?" the redhead sounded on the verge of hyperventilating. Which she was.

"_Huh? Rachel? Is that you? Are you alright_?" He sounded different. His voice was deeper, surer, but it was definitely Percy. Forcing her breathing to even out, Rachel responded,

"Yeah, well, I think…no, wait, no I'm not. I don't know what's going on" Rachel looked around her shoulders, checking to make sure no one was listening. Flying horses she could handle. Visions she could handle. Monsters she could handle_. Everything else_, she could handle. This? _Sure_, yea, _she could handle this_. She could totally handle…whatever _this_…was.

"_Are you in trouble? Is something wrong with the kids_?" He sounded almost scared at that last question- wait.

"Kids?" She whispered to herself.

"_I'm only a few blocks away, I'll be there in a sec, okay_?" His voice was soothing, but did nothing to calm Rachel's nerves. He hung up.

He hung up.

_**He hung up?**_

"Percy? Percy, no, c'mon" She couldn't be alone. But, he had said something, hadn't he? She forgot. Everything, her thoughts, her senses, _everything_ was numb.

…So…so confused.

"Who's Percy?"

What

Rachel turned around slowly.

_Percy was there._

She thinks its Percy.

It _looks_ like Percy.

Except, his hair is curlier, and his eyes are a different green.

_Her green. _

He looks younger than Percy, though. Twelve, maybe. His voice, had been softer, too, and more sheepish.

So confused.

"Mom, who's Percy?" Again, as if making sure he was heard. This wasn't Percy. His voice wasn't the deep, concerned one over the phone. It wasn't the happy, boyish one she was used to. Who, then…?

'_Mom, are you listening?'_

Just like her,

With his eyes

'_Is something wrong with the kids?'_

His voice,

Deeper, matured, older

'_Mom, who's Percy?'_

Just like him,

With her eyes

And promptly, she fainted.

**A/N I have no idea if this has been done before. I haven't been in the fandom since forever, so I don't know what's become cliché. This will have some Perachel in it, so bare with me, please, because I know most of you don't dig that pairing. I just thought it would be more realistic considering Percy and Rachel probably would have met even without the whole "Greek Gods" thing and Percy and Annabeth probably wouldn't have. **

**Sorry if any of the characters are ooc, I haven't read the books in a while and I didn't exactly know how to make them act with the situation.**

**And, don't worry, Annabeth and all the others **_**will **_**be in this. **

**Any suggestions for the kids' names? **


End file.
